Really.
How many of your friends read? Most of mine, I'd say 75%, don't read novels. Most don't have time, but many just choose to do other things with their time. I have to carve out time to read, myself. Life is just too crazy and busy!
I really wish more people would slow down, put down their phones/devices, and read. The world would be a much better place if people tapped into their own imaginations, picturing the stories, feeling emotions, and even finding some inspiration to better themselves... I wish book clubs were more popular!I guess that's my Insecure Writers Support Group concern this month. What is this world coming to with so many non-readers?
At least writers and storytellers are still needed for all the shows that are being created. Do you watch Netflix? Amazon Prime? or What? I love seeing so much creativity and innovative ideas outside the box!
What keeps you writing?
And now for some responses!
Here are the results of the latest #WritersLife Survey 14 - Writer Faux Pas:
Which of these writing pitfalls have you stumbled into?
ecstatic
their they're there
exaggerate
effect affect
not now
brassiere
dragged drug
How's your punctuation?
Have you ever broken writing rules on purpose?
Have you ever edited professionally?
What's the biggest writing pet peeve you find when reading?
- too much description
- Cardboard characters
- Comma splice
- present tense
- Misspellings, typos, and confused words ("waive" used when "wave" was meant, etc.) especially in self-published works.
- Bad formatting in ebooks and no table of contents
- repetitive words and phrases
- Poor editing
- you're - your
- I hate it when it's too easy to guess who done it!
- I have many (because I edit, too), but poor punctuation and grammar bug me the most, because the problem is pervasive. It affects the whole story. It's not just a temporary slow part I can skim.
- poor proofreading
So we should watch what we write - and get a good editor!
Also, watch for the next #WritersLife Survey - Spring Cleaning - a hodge podge of random questions! Don't miss it!
By the way, if you'd like to read and review the IWSG Anthology - Tick Tock A Stitch in Crime - give me a shout. I'd love to send you an ARC copy.
Thanks for stopping by!
Happy March!
Know what you mean about life being too crazy and busy to read sometimes. I actually have to jot down reading as a goal in my planner so I don't forget to find some time for it!
ReplyDeleteAnd love these survey results! Was especially fun to see how the answers averaged out for the one about breaking writing rules... :P
More people do need to read. Scary how many don't.
ReplyDeleteGood to see I'm not the only one who overuses the word just.
I can't imagine not reading! I enjoy TV and movies - and the visual creativity and storytelling there - but I need books. :)
ReplyDeleteOh, I'm good for 'just' and 'the'. Once I reread my work I can't believe how much I use those two. But I think (for some weird reason) those two words help me get out what I need to get out on paper or screen. I then go back and delete them. Ends up tightening my work, which is nice.
ReplyDeleteMost of my friends don't read novels regularly either. The ones that do usually do during the summer months. I have a lot of school teacher friends. :)
Hi Tara - not being the biggest reader, yet not realising I could write ... I agree we all need to read more - I think I might write a post on this - as I need to get one up, and a few nudges have gone in that direction ... yes READ ... all of us - cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteMost of my friends are readers, but most of my friends are writers, so I guess one goes with the other. :)
ReplyDeleteInteresting results from the latest survey. I can't believe how many times I delete the word 'just' from one of my manuscripts. Nice to know I'm not alone in that...
The results of your survey are so fun.
ReplyDeleteReaders are worth their weight in gold, that's for sure. But you're right-- tv and movies have to start as stories, so creators are always needed!
ReplyDeleteI abuse all words and my grammar is decent as long as I'm not on a roll-- then I'm a mess.
Yeah for readers. I would love to review the anthology. Enjoy reading the results of the surveys. Happy IWSG Day
ReplyDeleteI worry about readers in the future also. Two of my four children are voracious readers and one is a steady reader. You can bet I read to my granddaughter every day and so do her parents who are both teachers. Love reading the results of your surveys. Looks like I'm not alone with JUST.
ReplyDeleteMost people I know don't read much at all. My husband only reads biographies and memoirs (and my drafts!).
ReplyDeleteJust is definitely a word I overuse.
Non-readers... sigh.
ReplyDeleteI just can't stop typing just in my novels. UGH. I love reading that's why I write. How can a writer not read??
ReplyDeleteNon-readers are definitely increasing, although if you consider online reading, many people at least do that.
ReplyDeleteEvidently, our president doesn't read anything if he can help it.
I'm never too busy to read. I'm sure I read more than my friends. Reading is such an integral part of my life, I'd be lost without it. My most over-used word (when writing) is just. Your graphs are great.
ReplyDeleteI read every day, but I also don't own a smartphone! I can understand what you are saying about wanting people to put their phones down and read. I think people would be more relaxed too.
ReplyDeleteLoved the graph of errors (I am guilty of many of these myself) and the Wordle of overused words. I have worked on using "that" a lot less!
Thanks for sharing!
~Jess
As a data nerd, I love the research findings here!!
ReplyDeleteToo many of my friends and family don't read, and it does make me question why I want to be a novelist instead of a screen writer.
ReplyDeleteReally, I wish people--especially children--would lift their faces from the screen and see their world and other people in it and talk, face to face with them. And yes of course--read!
ReplyDeleteI need to work on creating compassionate characters. Exaggerate is the word that stumps me. Thanks for sharing this with IWSG.
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